Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Herceg Novi

For one person, living is cheaper in Herceg Novi: $1,237 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Herceg Novi
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,237
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Herceg Novi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Athens and in Herceg Novi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,237 in Herceg Novi.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Herceg Novi $1,237

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $1,973 in Herceg Novi.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Herceg Novi $1,973

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $2,710 in Herceg Novi.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Herceg Novi $2,710

Living in Athens is roughly 46% more expensive than in Herceg Novi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Herceg Novi is 8% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$11.23 €10.02
48.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$36.34 €32.43
82.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$9.19 €8.20
20.35%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$2.59 €2.31
59.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$2.47 €2.20
13.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$1.64 €1.46
-65.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$2.82 €2.52
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$3.39 €3.02
61.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.16 €1.04
68.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.02 €0.91
38.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$2.82 €2.52
0.35%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$3.03 €2.70
66.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$8.94 €7.98
71.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$7.27 €6.48
42.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$12.81 €11.43
48.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.34 €1.20
61.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.55 €1.38
23.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.58 €1.41
-12.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.02 €2.70
-27.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.89 €0.80
23.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.30 €1.16
-13.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.52 €1.36
-27.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.93 €0.83
-10.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$3.98 €3.55
40.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$4.43 €3.96
130.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.24 €1.11
75.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.72 €1.54
42.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.69 €1.51
-18.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$45.08 €40.23
-31.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$2.91 €2.60
50.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$1.09 €0.97
-4.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$16.59 €14.81
3.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.72 €1.53
34.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$33.0K €29.5K
-15.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$20.9K €18.7K
33.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$131 €117
59.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$12.86 €11.48
107.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$33.38 €29.79
-9.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$55.7 €49.71
-1.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$11.00 €9.81
136.64%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$8.00 €7.14
34.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$443 €395
29.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$7,028 €6,272
86.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$82.5 €73.7
12.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$33.95 €30.30
19.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$73.9 €65.9
40.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$94.6 €84.4
35.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$657 €587
14.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$395 €353
65.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$1,232 €1,100
4.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$886 €791
31.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$3,642 €3,250
10.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$2,415 €2,155
42.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Herceg Novi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$1,037 €926
19.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5
-10.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Herceg Novi: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Herceg Novi
$395 39.4% $257
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Herceg Novi
$225 28.4% $89
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Herceg Novi
$186 30.9% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Herceg Novi
$178 33.3% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Herceg Novi
$128 22.2% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Herceg Novi
$72 5.9% $4.5
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Herceg Novi
$60 31.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $657 in Herceg Novi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $36.00 in Herceg Novi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $225 per month, with Herceg Novi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇲🇪 Herceg Novi
🕒 Local time
12:43 12:43 PM
11:43 11:43 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
11,059
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Herceg Novi 660 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Herceg Novi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Athens vs Herceg Novi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Herceg Novi?
Herceg Novi wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Herceg Novi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Herceg Novi?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Herceg Novi?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $657 in Herceg Novi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Herceg Novi?
Dining out is cheaper in Herceg Novi – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $66.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Athens compared to Herceg Novi?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $1,237 in Herceg Novi – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Herceg Novi?
At $1,237 in Herceg Novi versus $1,806 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Herceg Novi but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Herceg Novi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Herceg Novi?
Both work as nomad bases, but Herceg Novi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,237 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Herceg Novi hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Herceg Novi?
Safety-wise, Athens and Herceg Novi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Herceg Novi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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